Targeted dish cleaner

Abstract

A system and method for cleaning a dish, comprising: illuminating said dish with a light source; capturing an image of said dish with a camera; inspecting said image to determine if said dish is clean; and estimating locations of dirty regions on said dish; spraying a fluid with a first nozzle on said dish with a predetermined spray distribution, wherein said first nozzle can reorient or relocate to spray said fluid on any region of said dish visible in said image; and spraying a fluid with a second nozzle on said dish with a spray distribution having a smaller coverage than that of said first nozzle, wherein said second nozzle is relocated or reoriented such that the fluid reaches said dirty regions at said locations on said dish; whereby dirty regions of said dish are targeted for a fast and efficient cleaning of said dish.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for cleaning a dish, comprising:
 a. a light source for illuminating said dish; 
 b. a camera for capturing an image of said dish; 
 c. a processor configured to estimate locations of dirty regions on said dish from said image, in order to specifically target said locations of dirty regions on said dish relative to other locations on said dish; 
 d. a first nozzle for spraying a fluid on said dish with a predetermined spray distribution, wherein said first nozzle sprays said fluid on any region of said dish visible in said image; and 
 e. a second nozzle for spraying a fluid on said locations of dirty regions on said dish with a spray distribution having a smaller coverage than that of said first nozzle, wherein said second nozzle is relocated or reoriented to a specific location or orientation such that the fluid specifically targets said locations of dirty regions on said dish relative to other locations on said dish, 
 
       whereby dirty regions of said dish are targeted for a fast and efficient cleaning of said dish. 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said dish is an article that makes contact with a food or a drink while preparing, serving, consuming, or storing of the food or the drink. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said fluid is water, soap, rinsing agent, sanitizing agent, cleaning agent, or air. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising another set of light source, camera, processor, first nozzle and second nozzle to clean two opposite sides of a dish simultaneously. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said locations of dirty regions are estimated using at least two images representing at least two different views of said dish or by using at least one image and a three dimensional model of said dish. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said dish is oriented to avoid holding of said fluid such that said fluid leaves the surface of said dish due to gravity. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said fluid is at a temperature hotter than the temperature of said dish. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said second nozzle sprays fluid at a higher velocity than said first nozzle. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said first nozzle and second nozzle sprays fluid with a flat spray, conical, hollow cone, or a solid stream spray distribution. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said first nozzle and second nozzle are part of a single adjustable nozzle, wherein said adjustable nozzle can be configured to change the shape of its spray distribution. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said light source is arranged in a ring configuration surrounding said camera to avoid specular reflection from being visible in said image. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said first nozzle and second nozzle can rotate about their yaw, pitch, or roll axes. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heating element for drying said dish. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein said heating element is in contact with said dish. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an enclosure surrounding said dish, wherein the enclosure is made from a material having higher thermal conductivity than that of said dish. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a directional flow control valve connected to a plurality of fluids to allow said first nozzle or said second nozzle to spray different types of fluids. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a flow control valve to adjust the pressure or flow of fluid entering into said first nozzle or said second nozzle. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said light source emits ultraviolet light to disinfect said dish. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said first nozzle is located at a predetermined location and is oriented at a predetermined orientation. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 1 , wherein said second nozzle is located at a predetermined location and is oriented at a predetermined orientation.